Potential interventions to improve dietary behaviors among long-haul truck drivers in Germany
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Peer Review | Long-haul truck drivers
Potential interventions to improve
dietary behaviors among long-haul
truck drivers in Germany
Results of a qualitative study
Andreas Bschaden, Janica Knecht, Siegfried Rothe, Nanette Stroebele-Benschop
Abstract Introduction
Given the particular working conditions, professional long-haul truck drivers who During the corona crisis another occupational
generally have to travel for several days at a time, face particular challenges to fol- group, besides medical and health care profes-
low a balanced diet. The aim of this qualitative study was to examine the dietary sionals and food retailing personnel, showed
behavior of German speaking truck drivers and their opinions regarding possible
its crucial importance for the provision of
interventions to improve their dietary behaviour.
goods: professional truck drivers. Empty su-
Qualitative data was obtained using semi-structured guideline based one-on-one permarket shelves and the lack of essential
interviews and focus groups. A total of 16 truck drivers participated, eight in the
supplies in hospitals made it obvious how
one-on-one interviews and eight in the focus group interviews.
delivery chains are usually flawlessly stream-
Emerging issues regarding the eating situation of truck drivers were the lack of lined and how freight transport plays a crucial
shopping possibilities, the bad quality and unfavorable cost-benefit ratio of of-
role in making food and other goods available
fered meals at truck stops, lack of parking, and long and irregular working days.
to consumers.
Truck drivers evaluated the presented intervention ideas differently depending on
their working conditions. Many of these “system relevant” professions
have low wages and are underappreciated. The
The results revealed that the truck drivers were frustrated with the eating situation
fact that professional truck drivers are often
and meal options while working. Several proposed ideas to improve their diet
were met with interest. The emerging typologies to describe separate groups of seen on roads that are frequently congested
truck drivers can help to identify their specific problems and needs in order to does not increase their popularity. At the same
develop goal-oriented interventions. These typologies should be confirmed in time, their achievements are great and their
additional, also quantitative, studies. workload under the existing circumstances is
Keywords: Professional truck drivers, eating behaviour, qualitative research, immense.
eating situation, health promotion Over 70% of the freight transport in Germany
is by road [1]. In 2019, trucks drove over 40
billion kilometers on toll roads in Germany
[2]. Over half a billion professional truck driv-
ers were registered in 2013 in Germany alone
[3], and the need continuously increases while
the search for new recruits is becoming a big
Citation
Bschaden A, Knecht J, Rothe S, Stroebele-Benschop N: Potential in- challenge within the industry. The problem
terventions to improve dietary behaviors among long-haul truck will exacerbate due to the age distribution of
drivers in Germany. Results of a qualitative study. Ernahrungs the employees within this industry with 30%
Umschau 2021, 68(7): 118–27. aged 55 years or older and less than 3% under
The English version of this article is available online: the age of 25 [4, 5]. Furthermore, truck driv-
DOI: 10.4455/eu.2021.026 ers belonged to the occupational group with
the highest sick days with 27.2 days in 2018
Peer-Reviewed [6]. One reason appears to be the unfavorable
Manuscript (original contribution) received: September 23, 2020 working conditions [7–10].
Revision accepted: January 05, 2021
Corresponding author
M. A. Andreas Bschaden
University of Hohenheim, Institute of Nutritional Medicine
Department of Nutritional Psychology
Fruwirthstr. 12, 70593 Stuttgart
andreas.bschaden@uni-hohenheim.de
118 Ernaehrungs Umschau international | 7/2021Many of the truck drivers are gone for several continuous days Procedures and Recruitment
and usually sleep in their trucks during that time [11] which Face-to-face interviews were conducted over
makes a healthy lifestyle even more challenging. A survey among four days from May through July 2019 at
404 truck drivers in Germany revealed that one third reported a rest stop and a truck stop in Baden-Würt-
at least one chronic illness, 76% were overweight and 30% obese temberg, Germany. Two research assistants
[11]. In a U.S. study, 53% of the truck drivers were reported to of the University of Hohenheim approached
have obesity [8], and in Australia, around 60% of the truck drivers truck drivers at their parked vehicles while
indicated obesity [12]. Furthermore, high rates of chronic illnesses walking through the parking lots. They ex-
associated with an unhealthy lifestyle, such as Diabetes mellitus plained the study background and aim and,
type 2, chronic back pain and high blood pressure, are also fre- if eligible, asked for their willingness to par-
quently reported [7, 8, 13]. One major contributing factor besides ticipate. Interested truck drivers were given
the continuous sitting position seems to be their diet [11, 14, 16]. written information regarding the project and
One recent review of 17 studies on the diet of professional truck a consent form to sign. The interviews were
drivers in different countries showed low intake of fruits and conducted at available seating on site. Driv-
vegetables, “unhealthy” dietary behavior and frequent restaurant ers‘ lack of the German language and locked
meals [14]. Truck drivers in Germany also reported eating fewer trucks with closed drapes made recruitment
fruits, vegetables, legumes and fish but more canned foods and difficult which resulted in only around two
sugar sweetened beverages during work compared to at home interviews per day. Based on the restrictions
[11]. One mentioned barrier to a more balanced diet appears to be in recruitment and the lack of knowledge re-
the availability of balanced meals while on the road [11, 17, 18]. garding drivers‘ characteristics, theoretical
Eating practices are a result of various personal and structural sampling was not possible. Interviews contin-
conditions. A qualitative study of the daily eating context of ued until a theoretical saturation for the main
truck drivers can potentially reveal unfavorable eating practices research questions was reached, meaning that
and structural barriers in the individual workday context, can no new dimensions or characteristics could
examine possible commonalities and differences among the truck be added to the already existing information/
drivers, and allows for the development of solutions oriented to data. A total of eight face-to-face interviews
specific target groups. Major challenges in the daily eating con- were conducted.
text of truck drivers include the limited opportunities for food Two focus group discussions were conducted
preparation, storage and availability in and around the truck and in September 2019. They were conducted in
at the majority of truck stops. So far, only a few interventions to the facilities of two logistic companies which
improve the diet of truck drivers have been attempted [17, 19-22]. were contacted by phone and email with an
For this qualitative study, professional truck drivers were inter- invitation to participate. Upon the agreement
viewed regarding their dietary behavior and daily eating routines. to participate, the companies invited their
Information on the availability of equipment for food storage and drivers and helped with setting up a time for
preparation, cooking habits, meal consumption at truck stops and the focus groups of three and five participants.
their attitudes regarding their dietary behavior as well as possible In order to encourage discussion topics a dis-
problems and desires was obtained. In addition, various strategies cussion guide was followed by a variety of
to improve nutrition during work were presented and the truck balanced to go meals were shown and other
drivers‘ feedback, depending on their daily eating situation, was ideas for a balanced diet while driving were
obtained. presented in both groups. All participants
were allowed to take the meal samples home
and they also received a snack bag containing
balanced snacks. All participants, including
Methods those that were interviewed face-to-face, re-
ceived a travel bag sponsored by the cooper-
The dietary behavior of individuals is understood as implicit, rou- ation partner (Daimler AG) as a thank you.
tine, and habitual activities from which one’s knowledge about For both interview types, inclusion criteria
food is formed [23]. To better examine the daily “eating practices” were: employed as a truck driver and mostly
of truck drivers, a qualitative study design was chosen. This sleeping in the truck during the working week,
scientific method is particularly useful to gain new insights into as well as a sufficient knowledge of the Ger-
daily eating habits of truck drivers since not much is known. man language. The interviews were recorded
Furthermore, the qualitative approach allows typologies to be es- using a digital voice recorder. All participants
tablished as well as behavior patterns, without already knowing received information regarding study aim, re-
the relevant characteristics or dimensions. Data was obtained by cording and data assessment procedures, data
semi-structured guideline based face-to-face interviews and focus analysis and data protection. Written consent
group interviews. The study was conducted in collaboration with was obtained from all participants. Data with
the Daimler Truck AG. the potential to identify the data subject were
Ernaehrungs Umschau international | 7/2021 119Peer Review | Long-haul truck drivers
anonymized. The study was approved by the ethical committee Results
of the University of Hohenheim.
Interviews were conducted with 15 truck
Material and discussion topics drivers between the ages of early 20s to
The guideline for the one-on-one interviews contained questions around 70 years old who were all working
and narration prompts regarding dietary patterns during the in the national and/or international long-haul
working week including snacks, food planning, preparation and transportation business. Generally, the drivers
storage options, meal times and available infrastructure on site, were working the entire week and sleeping in
and eating with others. In addition, the participants were asked if their trucks overnight. The weekends, how-
they had any requests and improvement ideas for meals available ever, were mostly spent at home. The par-
at truck stops, for their companies or for stakeholders considering ticipants‘ average Body Mass Index (kg/m2)
the existing infrastructure and legal requirements of their job sit- was 26.8 (min. 22.4 – max. 33.9) kg/m². The
uation. After each interview day, the guideline was adapted based eight face-to-face interviews ranged from 31
on the information, knowledge and experiences shared. In addi- to 49 minutes, while the two group discus-
tion, age, body weight and height were assessed via self-report. sions lasted 55 and 80 minutes.
The focus group discussions were planned and developed based on
the results obtained from the one-on-one interviews. General ques- Storage Equipment and Food Preparation
tions about dietary patterns, food preparation and storage, meal All interviewed truck drivers had a cooling
options while traveling were also added, however, they were not option in their vehicle that, according to their
as detailed as in the one-on-one interviews. Furthermore, several reports, had enough space to cool foods for
possible nutrition interventions specifically tailored to truck drivers the working week. They also all had a canis-
were presented and described and the drivers‘ opinion regarding ter with drinking water in their trucks. Nine
their attractiveness and feasibility was obtained. For instance, for of the participants owned an electric kettle,
each driver to be provided with a snack bag by their employer at the only four participants indicated having a cof-
beginning of the working week. An example was presented, con- fee machine. The majority of truck drivers
taining food items such as fruit, snackable vegetables, granola bars (10 participants) had a gas cooker on board
and nuts. Another example consisted of several combinable to go and only one driver replied to have neither a
meals which can be stored without cooling, are easy to prepare, and gas cooker nor an electric kettle in his vehicle.
represent more balanced alternatives to the meals mentioned during Depending on the season, drivers also used a
the one-on-one interviews. Alternatives included, for instance, in- charcoal grill or a disposable grill (3 partici-
stant rice, mashed potatoes, couscous or pea soup. Lastly, the idea pants). One driver indicated having a micro-
of adding a tailored cooking class to the existing training seminars wave and another one owned an electric grill.
required for truck drivers was introduced and discussed before clos-
ing the group interview with the opportunity for the participants Description of the working day
to offer further ideas or opportunities for improvement. Daily routine and meal structure
On the one hand, the daily routine of the
Data Analysis truck drivers, due to the job and legal require-
The recorded data was transcribed using f4 (Version 7, dr. dresing ments, is very structured. On the other hand,
& pehl GmbH). The interviews were copied in German without route planning, traffic and delays during load-
shortening any context or correcting any grammatical errors. ing and unloading require the driver to adapt
Data sequencing and structuring followed the qualitative content their schedule daily.
analysis [24]. In addition, the methods of Grounded Theory [25] Depending on the start of their shift and their
were used to elaborate on possible categorization and dimensions preferences, the drivers eat breakfast before
emerging from the data set. Two central dimensions that could be starting to drive. Breakfast mainly consists of a
determined among the participants regarding their dietary prac- sandwich with varying toppings. Rarely a sand-
tices were detected. To clarify those dimensions, four fictional ideal wich or sausage is bought at a gas station or
types were constructed [26]. The four fictional ideal types do not truck stop. Some of the participants only con-
represent actual real people’s behavior but are meant to illustrate sume coffee or nothing at all before their drive,
stereotypical characteristics with extreme behavioral patterns that particularly if it is very early in the morning.
are not or are only rarely shown in real life. Data was analyzed Those drivers usually snack later during the
using MAXQDA (Version 20.0.1, VERBI GmbH). drive or on one of the required breaks.
“We cannot eat based on time, that is not possi-
ble. Um, at least not me, yes. Colleagues proba-
bly also can’t. Um, you have to eat if you stand
at the loading dock for instance. There you have
nothing to do as the driver because your truck
gets loaded. I often use the time to eat then, right.
120 Ernaehrungs Umschau international | 7/2021You take something out of the fridge, whatever fits with the time of the Meal preparation
day and the time you have, right.” (B04, 63-70) Meal preparation mainly occurs in the after-
The drivers‘ main meal occurs in the evening. During the day, the noon or evening when the drive for the day
drivers mostly lack the time to cook or stop for a meal. Instead is over. The variety of prepared meals is wide
they consume snacks such as sandwiches or fruit. Some eat while – ranging from freshly prepared salad to fried
driving, others eat during their break – the legally required breaks potatoes to fried meat loaf or warmed up
of 45 minutes - or during the waiting time once they have reached canned meal. Canned food was mentioned the
their destination. most by the participants. Whether somebody
Drivers reported being able to prepare a meal with the available prepares their own meal depends on their indi-
equipment or eat at a restaurant/truck stop only when their vidual preferences and varying circumstances.
scheduled daily route is done. One topic is the difficulty of finding a parking
“Of course to be honest, if I only have a nine hour break because I’m spot. If parking can only be found in an in-
somewhere / I’m in a hurry. And I would use two, three hours to cook, dustrial area or a public parking lot, the driv-
then of course / that goes away from my sleep. Of course you make sure ers’ stocked foods have to be used. But also
it goes fast. That means if I now have a nine hour break and I know the truck stops‘ menus were in part consid-
I need to be on time the next morning, I would probably prefer a fast ered unacceptable, especially in the evening.
meal rather than take out the gas cooker [“Kocherle”] and warm up a Another topic/issue is the fact that the use of
schnitzel and everything else.” (B06, 537-546) a gas cooker in the cabin of the vehicle is not
Many participants mentioned high time pressure during their allowed which makes the weather conditions
working routine to complete their assignments. The working a crucial factor in the decision to use it for
days are often quite long. The driving time is legally regulated meal preparation or not.
but this is only part of the working hours. Other assignments “It always depends on the temperatures, the out-
include loading and unloading of the goods, securing and checking side temperatures. Because I have a gas cooker
the goods, book keeping and organizational tasks such as route with me. […] And then I make myself, if the wind
planning, and making phone calls to supervisors or clients. In is somewhat calm (laugh), then I make myself
addition, there are the required breaks that are difficult to use something to eat.” (B04, 20-24)
effectively. Besides food intake, the breaks also need to be used Besides the danger and the legal ban, the smell
for hygiene. Some of the drivers mention these reasons for not when using gas cookers is another reason for
having the time to prepare (laborious) meals. However, some not cooking with it in the truck cabin. Some
of the drivers also indicate that they are not under time pressure drivers occasionally meet up to grill together
while working. if their itineraries allow it. However, this
was only mentioned rarely and seems to be a
Preparation for the journey rather special event.
Most participants go shopping on the weekend to buy all necessary
foods for the working week. Only a few indicate that they regularly Shopping on the go
go grocery shopping during their working week. Bread, spreads Shopping options are limited for truck drivers.
and lunch meats as well as yogurt, muesli, fruit, salad or vegetables Besides certain gas stations, truck stops usu-
are the main foods stored in the truck. Besides self-cooked meals, ally do not have groceries in their assortment.
mainly leftovers from meals cooked during the weekend, canned Depending on the transported goods, the roads
foods such as ravioli, goulash, and meals that can be warmed up may go through areas with supermarkets. To
easily in a pan such as eggs, sausages, schnitzel or meatloaf, were reach grocery stores, vehicles usually have to
mentioned the most as warm meals taken to work. The view on get off the highway which can cause parking
canned or dried packaged foods (e.g. “five minute soups“) was not problems for trucks since many supermarkets
always positive but some participants reported these as emergency prohibit them to use their parking lot. There-
or makeshift solutions in case eating as usual was impossible when fore, buying fresh groceries while working is
all parking spots were taken at the end of the day. unfeasible for this occupational group and the
Chocolate and nuts, fruits and vegetables, such as apples or car- necessities for the week need to be taken from
rots, and also yogurt were mentioned often as snacks. Snacks home.
were considered a good distraction while driving or a way to stay
awake, particularly in the evening and during the night. How- Eating on the go
ever, snacks were also seen as a way to satisfy hunger when there The option to eat on the road is perceived very
was no time to stop for a meal. Some drivers avoided snacking on differently. Some participants perceive the
too many unhealthy foods and therefore were eating, for exam- cost-effectiveness at truck stops as unaccept-
ple, sunflower or pumpkin seeds as snacks. able. It is mainly the quality and freshness of
“That is a small portion, you keep busy with it. And yes, you simply the meals that are criticized. The selection is also
stay awake and you have something to do while driving, otherwise it often limited and hardly contains fresh ingre-
is quite monotonous.” (G2-1, 931-934) dients. In addition, the available meal choices
Ernaehrungs Umschau international | 7/2021 121Peer Review | Long-haul truck drivers
hardly differ between different locations and regions within Ger- to the products and proposed combination
many. Also, the prices are too high considering the current allowable possibilities. It seems to be useful to further
expenses. explore this topic in order to increase meal
“[…] but if you go inside now or in the evening at eight o’clock or nine, plan options.
[…] the offer is minimal and everything is simply kept warm. You “I have to admit that I am very repetitive and
can already see it, from the look, right, if the fish is already turning you now gave me the idea again that I could buy
upwards and the fried potatoes start to curve, for instance.” (B02, those products more often, yes, that’s right. As I
280-285) said, I buy very repetitively. I have my routine, I /
Regarding food quality, a large difference was noted between fridge, therefore and also I am very repetitive. […]
truck stops and motorway service stations. The latter were more As I said, it is simple, // you get tunnel vision,
comparable with “normal” restaurants – you order your food because you’re on the move. You simply don’t look
which is then freshly cooked. Many participants gave positive right or left. Simply you know THAT, it goes fast,
feedbacks about the food, for instance regarding fresh ingredients, it’s ok and that is the main problem I think.”
price or variety. It is important to note that a fee is required for (G2-1, 2862-2867; 3649-3653)
parking at a truck stop (around 10 Euro per night) – and a part “Great, you have to be honest, you walk through
of the cost can often be redeemed as a food voucher for the truck the store, you always look at the same stuff.”
stop restaurant. (G1, 1961-1963)
Fast food chains are seldom used as a meal options and also rated The focus group members’ feedback related
rather negatively, except for their coffee, regarding visits and to the presented products and its substitution
quality. Some drivers report to eat there “in emergencies” or in with other products. Opportunities to be pro-
exceptional cases, others avoid it completely. Additional food op- vided with new meal products to change their
tions do not play a role in the daily life of most drivers since they purchasing and consumption routines were
mainly are not on the way or are hard to reach or to find parking. welcomed.
If circumstances allow it, for instance when routes go via country
roads, drivers are happy to stop at bakeries or butchers to buy a Continuing education workshops
sandwich. Other snack options, such as curry sausage or French According to German qualification laws
fries are unfortunately harder to find compared to in the past. (Berufskraftfahrer-Qualifikations-Gesetz),
“B1: snack stands have simply closed. They simply don’t exist any- truck drivers have to attend regular contin-
more. […] uing education workshops. Within this con-
B5: No, nothing anymore. text, modules regarding the health of driv-
B1: Gone for a long time. ers are also scheduled. However, nutrition is
B4: At the most, the police control stands there. rarely part of the discussed health topics and if
B1: Exactly. so, is hardly applicable to their daily routine.
B3: But they don’t offer curry sausage. (Laughter)” (G2, 322-367) “B1: I would say it is talked about briefly for five
minutes and that was it. But I don’t think that
Proposed support it was ever a real topic, right?
Snack bag B3: A little bit of content.
A provided snack bag as proposed support for a balanced diet B1: Yes, I would say yes.
seems to be useful to the drivers only under certain circumstances. B3: You are not supposed to eat late, and not too
Some drivers start their working day directly from home and much.
cannot pick up the snack bag before work, others start their day B1: Not too greasy, yes. But that was it.” (G2,
so early on Monday morning that the snack bag would have to 3204-3216)
be made available already on Sunday. For these circumstances and The idea to put more emphasis on this topic
for an easy storage in the cabin, the snacks need to last without was rated by all participants as very positive.
having to cool them. The participants mentioned several times The drivers would appreciate more informa-
that because of allergies and taste preferences, the food choices tion, ideas, and suggestions, maybe using a
within the snack bag should be personalized. Small portions were guided group seminar. Some participants are
also seen as useful, e.g. chocolate or nuts in amounts that were critical of the idea of a cooking class since they
not unbalanced, but meaning they would not have to be bought perceive the way of the actual preparation
by the driver. process as less of a problem.
“The problem with those things. [If you] open a pack, it is gone.” (G2-
1, 848 f.) Nutrition education
The data also revealed additional interesting
Presentation of various to go meals aspects that might be best approached using
Several focus group members knew some of the products, other goal-oriented nutrition education to increase
products were mainly unknown. The participants were surprised the drivers‘ awareness of a healthy lifestyle
by the range of available products, offered additional ideas related and to promote healthy dietary alternatives
122 Ernaehrungs Umschau international | 7/2021while driving. The interviews showed that at truck stops, those we, um, get back at the end of the month.” (B05,
the truck drivers are very well connected with 225-230; 539-541)
each other through social media platforms It is important to mention that companies have to pay fixed al-
which could help with this approach. In ad- lowable expenses.1 The drivers, however, indicate that the ex-
dition, there are several magazines specific penses are not enough to pay for the food.
to this occupational group that are read by “Because, let’s say you have 24 Euro daily expense allowance. I don’t
many of focus group participants. know what you pay here as parking fee. But yesterday I actually paid
15 Euro parking fee, 10 Euro was for food, five Euro was pure parking
Dimensions of constructed types fee. If I then pay 3.49 more Euro for the shower. If I then go eat, for
Based on the data, two dimensions were ex- ten Euro I don‘t get anything. If I add a tenner. Then you just avoid
tracted that show the differences among the it.” (B07, 149-156)
interviewed truck drivers (Fig. 1). The con-
structed types should be considered as ide- 2. Dimension: Level of flexibility
al-type descriptions of extremes of a two-di- The second dimension describes the handling of the daily chal-
mensional range of driver types that will be lenges related to food independent of the individual position within
explained further below. A real-type assign- the first dimension. The data shows that the individual perception
ment of drivers can be made all along the di- of problems as well as the flexibility to overcome problems varies
mensions. Based on the type of driver, differ- widely. This is independent of whether the meal is cooked person-
ent daily issues are apparent. ally or whether a restaurant is chosen.
As an example, the effort to cook was considered too high for
1. Dimension: Level of self-sufficiency some of the drivers due to the lack of time or being tired at the
The interviewed truck drivers differed strongly end of the working day while others perceived cooking as a form
in their habits, choosing either to buy meals of relaxation.
or cook self-prepared warm meals. Although “Yes, so I think, I don’t know, but I think it is cozy to sit in front of
all kinds of habits are described, most partici- my gas cooker in the evening when I’m done with work and I turn on
pants report one of two meal types the most. the TV or search the internet a bit and cook a little on the side. That is
Some participants usually take their own simply to chill.” (G2-1, 3035-3039)
meals along to be prepared at the truck and “But nobody does that, make a salad in the truck in the evening, be-
they only go out as an exception. Others usu- cause they don’t feel like it or don’t have the time.” (B07, 424-425)
ally eat in a truck stop restaurant and they Another example is the shopping behavior while on the road.
only cook if they could not find parking at a Many participants comment on the parking restrictions at super-
designated parking lot close to the truck stop. market parking lots as reason not to shop during the trip, while
One interesting aspect to consider is the finan- other participants seem to regularly shop while on the road.
cial aspect. While some drivers mention that “Parking is banned everywhere for trucks. And where you MIGHT find
they cannot afford to eat at a restaurant reg- a way to shop, they put huge stones there to make sure that no truck
ularly, others do not seem to have the same can park there, right. I was already fined 15 Euro for parking in a
problem. One influencing factor seems to be no-parking zone and I said “I only need to go inside to get some food”
whether or not the logistic companies pay for but nobody was interested. It says no parking, 15 Euro.” (B02, 131-
parking. The majority of the participants that 138)
report that the price is no problem also indi- “Well to me // nobody ever said anything. Nobody ever showed up and
cate that their logistic company pays for park- said that the truck needs to go or anything. Never had any issues.”
ing. Since the parking fee also often includes (G2-1, 2197-2199)
a food voucher for the nearby restaurant,
the drivers‘ company indirectly also pays for Ideal types
parts of their meal. However, some of the par- The following ideal types are extreme in their characteristics. They
ticipants report that they get reimbursed for do not necessarily occur in real life but are supposed to serve as
the parking fee but not the food voucher cost. explanation for the dimensions. The majority of real cases are
Others receive no reimbursement for parking mixed forms of those types and can be found along the entire
and therefore try to avoid truck stops with spectrum of the dimensions.
paid parking.
“Well and then you just go to the restaurant in The happy eating out type
the evening, order something so the food voucher Within this type are only drivers that frequently visit truck stops,
gets used. And you sometimes manage to eat for which is possible because their companies pay for these expenses.
four, five Euro and you have a complete meal
where everything is included. […] So we get, um,
those, um, those parking fees, that we need to pay 1
t the time of the interviews (2019), the allowable expense was 24 Euro per day.
A
For 2020, the expense allowance was increased to 28 Euro.
Ernaehrungs Umschau international | 7/2021 123Peer Review | Long-haul truck drivers
the happy the creative Possible impact factors:
eating out type parking lot cook
• labor conditions
routes, cargo, income, expenses,
time pressure, ...
• infrastructure
level of flexibility
truck stop restaurants, parking
spaces, region, ...
• individual parameters
creativity, health consciousness,
nutrition awareness, time
management, planning, ...
the frustrated the monotonous
restaurant customer self-preperation type
level of self-sufficiency
Fig. 1: D
istinguishing dimensions across truck drivers in relation to their daily eating practices.
Nevertheless, the driver also needs the financial possibilities to pay was mainly related to shopping opportunities
thier personal share if required. A preference for hearty and classic – either better offer at truck stops or better
dishes such as schnitzel with french fries or goulash soup is often parking options at supermarkets – and meal
observed in this type. offers at truck stop restaurants. Some drivers
also proposed improvement for more storage
The creative parking lot cook options and working space in the truck cabin,
This type likes to cook at his truck after work and enjoys cooking but also reported that the storage space for
more than one food type in the gas cooker. Ready to eat meals are food for one week is sufficient. The majority
unavoidable but fresh food is bought during the trip. of the drivers did not see the need for more
technical equipment such as a microwave.
The monotonous self-preparation type Furthermore, the data showed that the group
This type of driver simply cooks in the pot or pan, whatever is the of professional truck drivers is not homo-
most convenient and fills up the stomach the fastest. geneous and the challenges for following a
balanced diet vary based on structural pre-
The frustrated restaurant customer requisites or individual habits. This should
Given that he feels that he does not have another option, this type be considered both in the analysis of general
of driver continues to eat the same, badly prepared, too expensive, working conditions and problems as well as
unhealthy and dried up meals at the truck stop restaurants. He in the development of interventions. Also,
doesn’t like to cook and only does it when it is absolutely neces- drivers’ habits are not static but can change
sary. when changes occur in the working condi-
tions which might lead to moving to another
dimension type. A driver who is used to eat-
ing at the truck stop restaurants could turn
Discussion into the occasional cook with new preparation
ideas. A driver that cooks for himself could be-
The qualitative study revealed detailed insights into the daily eat- come someone eating at the truck stops if the
ing practices of truck drivers taking individual circumstances and logistic company starts paying the expenses.
preferences into account. As confirmed in other studies, truck Which type should be considered most benefi-
drivers reported long and irregular working days, time pressure cial regarding health is hard to determine. All
and few opportunities for a balanced diet while driving [14]. types allow a healthy and an unhealthy die-
It could not be determined that there was general dissatisfaction tary style. In fact, a high degree of flexibility
with the eating situation among all the truck drivers, however, does not ensure a balanced diet but this aspect
the majority of the participants saw an urgent need for improve- appears to have a positive impact on following
ment in some areas. As also described in other studies [17, 18], this a balanced diet.
124 Ernaehrungs Umschau international | 7/2021Improvement options can be identified on a ideas. The main critical issues reported by the drivers were related
personal and structural level. The problem to meal and shopping opportunities. Mentioned barriers for a bal-
is the infrastructure around the truckers‘ anced self-prepared meal were time pressure, lack of motivation
“working space”, as was also described in or ideas and missing equipment.
other studies [17, 18]. Besides improvements
on the legislative level (labor legislation, infra-
structure such as parking lots) and economic
level (meal options at truck stops and shop- Limitations
ping choices), structural improvements can
also be initiated by the employer. Examples The recruitment approach could have influenced the sample. It
could be the snack bags discussed in the focus is possible that the truck drivers who agreed to participate were
groups or the reimbursement of the park- particularly interested in nutrition. Furthermore, the sample of
ing fees in addition to the allowable expenses drivers only included German speaking drivers that usually drive
mentioned in the one-on-one interviews. The five days a week and spent the weekend at home. The majority of
snack bags could be helpful for all driver the truck drivers that drive in Germany, however, are on average
types since all drivers snack independently of longer than five days on the road [11]. Drivers based out of East-
the degree of self-sufficiency, which was also ern Europe, who drive over several weeks, would probably face
shown in other studies [11, 27]. The provision even bigger challenges regarding their diet not only because of the
of balanced snacks could be beneficial as long long tour but also because of the low wages they receive. Since the
as they replace unhealthy snacks. Other im- personal background of the drivers, such as the working condi-
provements could entail the attractiveness of tions or the family background, was not specifically investigated
eating out. This would be advantageous for and the sample size was small, only a few conclusions can be
those that already tend to eat out and also for made regarding the influences of individual and workplace factors
those that avoid eating out due to financial on dietary practices and presented dimension types.
limits or due to the as badly perceived meal
choices [18].
On the individual level, nutrition related inter-
vention possibilities are more diverse since no Further questions
political willpower needs to be in place. Here,
it is the primary aim to provide the truck driv- The elaborated dimensions should be confirmed regarding their
ers with new ideas and ways to eat a more potential to explain different aspects of eating behavior in future
balanced diet. The mentioned “tunnel vision” studies, particularly in quantitative studies. In addition, health
while grocery shopping is probably not only related differences between types of drivers and along the dimen-
the case for this occupational group but, given sions should be examined further to determine whether individual
their limited shopping opportunities, it might and structural circumstances determine the type or manifestation
have a greater impact than for other occupa- of a dimension. Research should also be conducted with drivers
tional groups. Besides resource intensive indi- that travel for longer than one week at the time and also with
vidually conducted interventions that require drivers who have a lower income. The travel route and the trans-
experts in nutritional therapy or psychology ported goods might also play a role in regards to the meal choices.
[19, 28, 29], sharing ideas with each other on Using a larger sample size, perhaps by administering a question-
how to eat a balanced and diverse diet might naire, the actual influence of a parking fee reimbursement by the
be easily accomplished during the required employer could be examined. Lastly, the proposed intervention
continuing education training, during work- ideas should be further elaborated and their effectiveness need to
shops organized by the logistic companies, in be tested.
group specific magazines or on social media
platforms. Products or a combination of prod-
ucts including their preparation and cooking
could be recommended and shared. These ac-
tions could be particularly beneficial for the
“monotonous self-preparation type” but
also for the “creative parking lot cook”. The
“happy eating out type” could benefit as well
since cooking more often might lead to more
variety and even saves money.
Overall, it can be noted that the interviewed
drivers showed great interest in nutrition as
a topic and were open towards the suggested
Ernaehrungs Umschau international | 7/2021 125Peer Review | Long-haul truck drivers
12. Sendall MC, McCosker LK, Ahmed R, Crane P: Truckies'
Financial disclosure and conflict of interest nutrition and physical activity: a cross-sectional survey
The study was conducted in cooperation with Daimler AG. The travel bag that was
in Queensland, Australia. Int J Occup Environ Med 2019;
offered as a thank you to the participants was paid for by Daimler AG. Janica Knecht
was paid as a working student during the project period.
10(3): 145–50.
13. Bachmann LH, Lichtenstein B, St Lawrence JS, Mur-
ray M, Russell GB, Hook EW: Health risks of American
long-distance truckers: results from a multisite assess-
M. A. Andreas Bschaden1, 3 ment. J Occup Environ Med 2018; 60(7): e349–55.
M. Sc. Janica Knecht1
14. Guest AJ, Chen Y-L, Pearson N, King JA, Paine NJ, Clemes
Dipl.-Ing. Siegfried Rothe2
PhD Nanette Stroebele-Benschop 1 SA: Cardiometabolic risk factors and mental health
1
University of Hohenheim, Institute of Nutritional Medicine status among truck drivers: a systematic review. BMJ
Department of Nutritional Psychology Open 2020; 10(10): e038993.
Fruwirthstr. 12, 70593 Stuttgart 15. Nolle T: Mobile Berufe – eine Untersuchung der Arbeits-
2
Daimler AG
bedingungen und der Ernährung im Hinblick auf die Ge-
Leibnizstr. 2, 71032 Böblingen
3
andreas.bschaden@uni-hohenheim.de sundheit. Dissertation. Technische Universität Dortmund
2006.
16. O korie O, Thiese MS, Murtaugh MA, Sheng X, Handy R,
Hegmann K: Relationships between poor health and cal-
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